Folding draft-tree.



No. 666,646. PATRNTRD Nov. zo, 1966.

' 6.*w. WALKER.

FOLDING DRAFT TRRR.

APPLICATION FILED DHLZB. 1905.

rm: Nanni; PETERS ca., wAsNmmoN. n. c.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.-

GEORGE WASHINGTON WALKER, OF BUSHNELL, ILLINOIS.

' FOLDING. DRAFT-TREE...

No. 836,546.H

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 28,1905. Serial No. 293,599;

T @Zt 'wh/0m. t may concern: v

Be it known that I, GEORGE WASHINGTON VnLlnn, a citizen of. the United States, and a resident of Bushnell, in the county of Mc- Donough and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Folding Draft-Tree, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. Y v

The purpose of the invention .is to provide a folding draft-tree for sectional harrows so constructed that when in use it will be asv strong as the ordinary single-piece draft-tree and so that in a short time and with but little trouble the end sections may be folded up above the central section and in direction of each other, reducing the longer draft-tree to such simple dimensions and compactness that it can be taken through an ordinary farm-gate.

The invention consists in the novel comstruction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved draft-tree in condition for use. rear elevation of the draft-tree, as shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the draft-tree folded for moving from one field to another.

The draft-tree is constructed in three sections-namely, a central section A and two end sections B and B. The ends of the central section A are beveled from the top vdownward in direction of the center, and the inner ends of the end sections B and B are beveled from the bottom upward and outward, so that the inner ends of the end sections B and B may t close and snug to the ends ofthe central section, bringing all three sections inalinement when the draft-tree is to be used.

The central section A is provided at the front and at the rear with an attached metal binding-strip, which strips are designated, respectively, as 12 and 12a, and these strips eX- tend sufficiently beyond the ends of the central section A to constitute ears 13, as is shown best in Figs. 1 and 3.

An eyeb olt 14 is passed through each of the end sections B and B at about the center` of the said sections, the eyes being at the front of the tree, and a similar bolt 15 is secured at 4draft-rods are connected by links 19.

the vcentral portion of the central section A.

lA draft-rod 16- is loosely connected with the central eyebolt 15 -and at its outer end is loosely placed upon a ring 17. Side draftrods 18 and 13a are also provided, which side draft-'rods 18 are loosely connected with the eyebolts 14, whilethe draft-rods 18iL are similarly connected with the aforesaid ring 17.

Eyebolts 20 are passed through the outer end portions of the end sections B and B and likewise through the said end sections adjacent to their inner ends, and the'eyes of these bolts are at the rear. Similar bolts 21 are passed through the central section A adjacent to its end portions, as is shown best in Fig. 1. The eyes of the bolts 20 and`21 are provided with links 22, whereby to enable the hooks of the harrows to be readily attached to or disconnected from the draft-tree.

The inner ends of the end sections B and B are introduced between the ears 13 of the binding strips or plates 12 and 12l and are 'pivoted therein by means of suitable pivotbolts 23, as is shown in Figs. 1 and3. The said ears 13 at their outer ends are provided with apertures 25, through which bolts 24 are passed, provided with nuts 26, preferably at their forward ends. When the various sections have been placed end to end, as is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the bolts 24 are firmly locked to place, the three sections are' heldin firm position and serve the same purpose as would a single-piece draft-tree; but when the draft-tree is to be taken through a gate the bolts 24 are removed, and the end sections B and B will be moved upward over the central section until the outer ends of the end sections practically abut, thus materially reducing the bulk of the draft-tree and enabling it to be readily moved to different parts of the farm.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and vdesire to vsecure by Letters Patent- 1. A draft-tree, constructed of a central section and end sections, the central section being provided with front and rear bindingstrips extending throughout the length of the section with their ends projecting beyond the ends thereof and forming ears, the end sections being introduced between said ears, pivot-pins passed through the ears and the inner end portions of the end sections, and locking-bolts passed through the end sections and through said ears, which locking-bolts Patented Nov. 2o, i906.

The

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are removable, enabling the end sections to be folded up over the central section, as described.

2. A draft-tree comprising a central section provided with binding-strips on its front and rear, said binding-strips extending throughout the length of the section with their ends projecting beyond the ends of the said sections, end sections having their inner ends extending between the projecting ends of the said strips, pivot-bolts passed through the projecting ends of the binding-strips and the ends of the end sections, removable locking-bolts also passed through the end sections andthe projecting ends of the bindingstrips, the locking-bolts being in longitudinal alinement with the pivot-bolts', a central draft-ring, a draft-rod securedV to the draftring and to the central section, side draftrods formed in pivotally-connected sections and secured to the draft-ring and to the end sections, and links secured to the rear faces of the sections.

8. A draft-tree consisting of a central section and end sections, the abutting ends of the end and the central sections being correspondingly inclined, strips extending along the front and rear of the central section and beyond its ends, the inner ends of the end sections being introduced between the extends ing portions of the strips7 pivot-pins passed through the said strips and the inner end portions ofthe end sections, the said end sectionbeing adapted to fold upward over the central section, locking-bolts passed through the projecting portions of the strips and the inner end portions of the end sections, said locking-bolts being removable, bolts passed through all of the sections, having eyes at their rear ends, links carried by said eyes, and a draft device consisting of a series of rods connected with a central forward ring and having loose connection with the central and the end sections of the tree.

In testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE WASHINGTON WALKER.

Witnesses:

W. H. HUNT, J. C. YOUNG. 

